“Is everything all right? Lizzy was all over you. I hope she didn’t make you feel uncomfortable. Or irritated.”

Uncomfortable, he could have handled. Irritated, he could have handled. What he couldn’t handle was the fact he’d found her adorable. “She was great. Every kid loves the beach.” Too late, he remembered that she hated it. “Listen, Emily—”

“It’s fine. You don’t have to walk on eggshells—or maybe I should say seashells.” A dimple appeared at the corner of her mouth. “Can I walk with you for a minute? I could use five minutes of adult time.”

Unable to find a response that wouldn’t seem rude, he nodded. “Are you cold? Do you need a wrap or something?”

“I’m fine.”

It was a good job one of them was, he thought dourly, fixing his gaze on the rocks ahead. “When the tide is out you can walk right around to the next beach.”

“It’s pretty. I was thinking about what you said the other day,” she said quickly, “about teaching me to swim. If you meant it, then I’d like to.”

“You want to swim?”

She pulled a face. “No, but I think I should. It’s important for Lizzy. I’m sending the message that water is scary and to be avoided, and that’s not only unfair, it’s dangerous. She needs to learn how to swim, and once she’s learned, I need to be able to take her.”

“What changed your mind?”

“Watching the kids in the water. They were having so much fun. And listening to Rachel and Lisa talking about all the summer activities they have planned at Camp Puffin. Beach camp, kayaking, sailing. I want her to be able to do those things one day. I thought maybe Agnes would be willing to watch Lizzy for an hour while you teach me. Would you do it?”

He wanted to refuse. “Are you sure you want to do this?”

Say no.

“I’m sure. What would I need to bring?”

His mouth was dry. “Just yourself and a bathing suit. But if you don’t have a suit, then—”

“I have one.”

He hoped to hell it hadn’t been chosen by Skylar, or they would both be in serious trouble. He was tempted to suggest a wet suit but then decided that wasn’t going to hide much, either. “Maybe you should wait a few weeks and—”

“I don’t want to wait. Let’s set a time. That way I can’t change my mind.”

He felt sweat bead on his forehead. “I need to look at my schedule.”

“How about tomorrow? It’s Sunday.”

“Weekends are our busiest time at the Ocean Club. Lunches are always crazy, and we’re fully booked for dinner.”

“So how about five o’clock?”